OXFORD, Mississippi – The University of Iowa baseball team fell to Ole Miss, 12-5, on Saturday afternoon at Swayze Field.
The Hawkeyes got out to an early lead for the second straight day, taking a 5-2 lead into the fourth inning before allowing Ole Miss to score two runs in back-to-back innings and take a lead. The Rebels didn’t look back and outscored the Hawkeyes, 6-0, in the final four innings.
“Offensively, we started out great,” said head coach Rick Heller. “Jumped out to the lead, ended up tied. Kinda the same story as the last few weekend games, the bullpen just couldn’t hold it. All the free bases today, that is not going to get it done. When a bunch of runs that they scored aren’t earned via the hit, that makes it tough.”
Marcus Morgan got the start for Iowa, throwing 4 1/3 innings allowing six runs on seven hits while walking four and striking out four.
The Iowa bullpen held the Rebels to four hits in the remaining 3 1/13 innings but walked six batters and allowed six runs.
Raider Tello had a 3-for-4 day for the Hawkeyes with an RBI. Andy Nelson was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, a double and a home run.
“Raider and Andy both had really good days offensively for us,” said Heller. “We had opportunities in the second half of the game. We had a leadoff double in the seventh and the eighth and neither one scored when it was a two-run game. They ended up breaking it open in the bottom of the eighth. At the end of the day we just have to play better baseball.”
Up Next:
The rubber match of the three-game series between the Hawkeyes and Rebels is Sunday at noon.